Insulating-hanger for overhead supply-conductors



(No Model.)

P. B. RAE. INSULATING HANGER FOR OVERHEAD SUPPLY GONDUGTORS.

No'. 426,064. Patented Apr. 22, 1890 WITNESSES. INVEWTOR UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. RAE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

INSULATING-HANGER FOR OVERHEAD SUPPLY-CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,064, dated April22, 1890.

Application filed November 14, 1889. gerial No. 330.365. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. RAE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of Detroit, in the county of Vayne, State ofMichigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement inInsulating -Hangers for Overhead Supply-Conductors; and I do herebydeclare that the following specification is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a novel form of insulating-hanger designed forthe dual purpose of securely suspending the overhead supplycircuit, orbetter known as the trolley-line of an electric railway, from thesupporting cross-wires and in sulating the said trolley-line from thespan-wires and span-wire supports.

It is well known that the weight of the trolley-line and the vibrationor jar incident upon the traveling contact of the trolley-wheel with thewire necessitates the use of a stronglyconstructed hanger, that willwithstand the weight of the line without breakage, disloc gment, ordistortion. In fact, experience has taught those skilled in this artthat to insure the maintenance and durability of the overheadconstruction it is imperatively necessary to employ a trolley-linehanger practically weather-proof and capable of resisting enormousstrain; yet at the same time it is equally necessary that such hanger beunobtrusive in appearance. Again, in order to illsure thoroughinsulation of the line-circuit from the ground, the hanger employed mustbe of insulating material of the very best quality at certain points, sothat there can be no possibility of electrical communication be tweenthe line and cross wires.

Accordingly it is the especial object of this invention to provide aninsulating-hanger of this type that will meet the requirements ofpractice and at the same time will be cheap in first cost andmanufacture and ornamental in appearance.

For the attainment of these objects my invention consists in certaindetails of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all ofwhich will be more fully described here inafter, and the specific pointsof novelty in which will be designated in the appendant claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central verticalsection showing the invention complete. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same.

Like letters of reference mark like or corresponding parts in both viewsof the draw ings.

Referring to Fig. 2, A represents the hanger proper, consisting of thehorizontal portion a, made in two parts, as shown, and groovedlengthwise on its end edge to accommodate and hold the trolley-wire,which is first intro duced therein and secured permanently by clampingtwo portions of the hanger together or by soldering the wire in thegroove, both of which methods are at present employed, as will beunderstood.

B is the neck or shank of the hanger, made of the same metal as theportion A and tapering off gradually in avertical direction,terminatingin a circular rod having a circular screwthreaded recess in itsextremity of a size and dept-h corresponding to the lower screwthreadedend of the bolt 0, which passes vertically through a bore in thebell-shaped portion D, which latter is made of some strong weather-proofinsulating material and is pro vided with a circular groove ordepression Z), running exteriorly therearound,in the manner shown inFig. 1, of sul'iicient depth and width to receive and accommodate theclampingring E,made in two portions 0 c and secured together adj ustablyand removably by means of the clamping-screws d 61, passing through thelaterally-projecting perforated lugs ff. The insulator D isbell-shapethasbefore stated, and is divided by the groove or neck Z)into the upper and lower portions F F, the latter being in the shape ofa hollow tubular skirt, flaring outwardly and ;lownwardly, while theformer is substantially in the form of a bolthead and is made solidthroughout, as shown.

In the top part F of the insulator D is formed a recess or countersunkseat for the jam nut of the bolt 0, which. nut is screwed down upon thescrew-threaded end of said bolt, impinging against the bottom of thesaid seat or recess, and g designates a plug or cap of insulatingmaterial, fitting over the head of the bolt C in the manner shown, toprevent water, snow, or other moisture from entering the recess andreaching the bolt 0. This cap or plug 9 is provided with a head 7L ofoval shape, similar to a machine-screw, but corresponding with thecontour of the portion F, and, furthermore, is provided with arectangular depending flange vi, which bounds the jam-nut 011 all sidesand enters between the same and the wall of the recess.

G G represent, respectively, two verticallyextending arms formedintegral at their lower ends with the elamping-ringE and projectingupwardly at diametrically-opposite points on the ring E, eachterminating in a hooked end J, by means of which the whole device issuspended from the cross-wire H. (See Fig. 2.) Thus it will beunderstood that when the hanger is in the position shown in Fig. 2 onthe cross-wire H there can be no electrical communication establishedbetween the metallic portions of the hanger and the crosswire and thesuperincumbent hooks.

The function of the flaring skirt of the insulator D is to deflect downand off any water or other adherent moisture that may lodge thereupon,thereby sheltering the portion A.

The bell insulator may be made of any proper substance such,forinstance, as porcelain, hard rubber, close-grained wood, leather, &c.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An insulating-hanger consisting of abellshaped insulator having ametal hanger secured to project to its under side and to sup port theconductor, and having suspended arms secured to the exterior of theinsulator and extending upward, substantially as dcscribed.

2. The combination, with a suitable form of metal hanger secured to aninsulator, of a bell-shaped insulator and means for suspending thelatter from a cross-wire, consisting of two hooked arms attached to theinsulator by a clamping-ring and clamping-screws.

8. The combination, with a metal hanger, bolt C, secured thereto, thebell-shaped insulator D, supporting said bolt 0 and provided with agroove or neck I), the clamping-ring E, made in two halves and removablysecured in said groove or neck I), the suspendingarms G G, formedintegral with the ring E, the jam-nut for the bolt C, countersunk in themanner described, and the cap or plug 1, fitting over the jam-nut.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day ofOctober, 1889.

FRANK B. RAE. Witnesses:

CHAS. BRUNDAGE, F. R. HARDING.

